


Blue Moon

by Luckyfirerabbit



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/M, Idiots in Love, Werewolf Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 10:22:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13385811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luckyfirerabbit/pseuds/Luckyfirerabbit
Summary: Life as a werewolf is hard enough, add in the mating heat brought on by a blue moon and it's all but impossible.





	1. Chapter One

A monthly, week-long vacation to an isolated cabin in the mountains is all well and good, but it's still nice if not better to come home afterward. Pyrrha pushes through her front door with her arms and shoulders loaded down with a few bags, luggage that she almost unceremoniously drops beside the sofa just inside so she can shut the door and lock it behind her. When the bolt slides to there's a sigh of comfort; safe and secure and home.

From there she goes about the routine process of putting her things away, sifting through the bags for dirty clothes to take to the laundromat, and sorting out her art supplies to relocate to their proper places at her desk in the living room. The soiled clothing goes into a plastic grocery bag that she tosses from the bedroom to the front door, counting on herself to remember them the next time she leaves her apartment. Once everything is back where it belongs, her bags stuffed under her bed, she changes into comfortable lounging clothes with the intent of vegetating on the couch for the next hour or two. The passed weekend had been rough and she needed a break.

A half hour of said break passes, by now she has the TV volume set on low with one arm draped across her eyes as she snores lightly, before her scroll buzzes on the coffee table. She'll sleep through the first collection of vibrations, aware but unwilling to answer -if it was important enough, whoever is trying to reach her would leave a message or call again. Turns out they would call again, and this time Pyrrha grumbles as she sits up like a zombie rising from its casket.

With a shrug she brings the device to her ear. "Hello?"

_"Hey, darlin', did you make it home okay?"_

The voice on the other end is soft and bright, coupled with a strong Menagerine accent it makes Pyrrha smile with a certain fondness. "Hello again, Tag. Yes, I'm home."

_"Good, I hate to catch you when you're driving. How are you feeling?"_

"I was in the middle of a nap."

_"Oh, I'm sorry!"_

"Don't be, it's okay," Pyrrha shakes her head. "I don't mind when it's you. But I'm fine."

_"Everything at the cabin all right?"_

"...I got another carcass." Pyrrha says after a moment. "A bear this time."

It's quiet for a short spell, and then Tag shrugs.  _"Are those even in season yet?"_

"Yes, actually." she grins to herself.

_"Was it killed and cleaned the same way as the others?"_

"Yeah. Same scent on it too." Pyrrha takes a breath. "I'm certain it's an Alpha male now. I think he's leaving me gifts."

_"Never heard of that, and I've been in the Lycan business for a_ _**long** _ _time. But you haven't found any tracks or markings, have you?"_

"No, just what's left on the kills he leaves. I mean, not that I don't appreciate them," she laughs a little.

_"Maybe he's wooing you. A blue moon is coming, after all."_

Pyrrha feels herself tense. "What?"

_"You didn't know? Oh, honey...yeah, there's another full moon this cycle."_

When the young woman realizes she's been holding her breath she's quick to exhale. "Oh. I...I suppose that would make sense. But...well, like you said, you've never heard of this behavior before. Wouldn't he just try and...you know...like Alpha males do when the heat comes?"

_"Clearly this male isn't like the others. There's an almost human intelligence to this, so maybe he's learned to control the change. And if that's the case, he's likely seen you before and knows what you are."_

A reflexive fear rattles through her ribs, a fear born from a lifetime of having to keep a secret.

_"But isn't this what you wanted?"_

Pyrrha swallows, forcing the nerves down. "I mean...I guess so." because she's lonely, and has felt this way most of her life. "I just...I didn't expect it this soon." Pyrrha's only been out on her own, out from under a Handler's care for a couple of years, she's just starting to feel like her own woman; mentally she doesn't feel ready for a mate. However, it seems mother nature sought to force her hand. "What should I do?"

_"Well, you have a few options. I'd be more than happy to let you stay here with Billy and me for it, I don't have a charge right now so there's space for you. You could also try and chase the male from your territory before then."_

"But will I be able to? During a blue moon?"

_"You're a strong Alpha, Pyrrha -you know that and I know that- and blue moon or not, your instincts are going to win out over mating heat every time. You'll know what you need to do."_

She exhales. "I hope you're right." Then she groans and lets her face drop into the palm of her free hand. "I'm not ready for kids either."

_"Oh heavens, I almost forgot that part. You're right."_ Blue moons not only brought increased desire to find a mate, and drove already mated pairs to engage in marathon sessions that could last for hours at a time, but it also made females the most viable to conceive. No one has been able to ascertain exactly why that is, only that it is at all, and that there were countless litters of pups to support the theory. _"I'm going to look into it for you, alright?"_

"Okay." though she sounds reluctant to the idea. She's skeptical of the chances that her former Handler will find anything useful. "If you find anything, you and Billy could come over for dinner and we could talk about it some more. I'd rather it be in person. Plus I miss you."

_"Me too, darlin', it's been too long."_ the older woman's smile is audible. _"Try not to worry too much, yeah? We'll sort this out."_

"Okay." she responds again, not sounding at all reassured. "Take care."

_"You too."_

Pyrrha hears the telling click and lets her hand drift away from her face to rest on her thigh. For a moment she just stares at her scroll, at the dimness of her own reflection, and then shrugs before setting the device back on the coffee table. Now she can't stand even the low sounds of the television so she shuts it off before retreating to her easel to paint.

 

A couple of anxious days pass before Tag calls again and finalizes their plans to meet, the Otter Faunus and her Bison partner arriving in the early evening bearing hugs and a homemade cake. From the second she stepped inside, Pyrrha's former Handler could sense her anxiety and did her best to soothe it. Gentle, constant physical contact worked best as the young woman had a tendency to feel touch starved, especially when stressed. The two of them walk through the dwelling shoulder to shoulder, Tag's hand at the small of Pyrrha's back in a comfortable, familiar way. Billy follows behind like a towering shadow, and the trio eventually commune in the kitchen.

"Would you prefer to wait until after we eat, or...?"

"Tell me now," Pyrrha laughs as she hugs herself a little, leaning against the counter. "If it's bad news I'll have time to swallow it so it doesn't ruin my appetite."

"It's not all bad." Billy sort of grunts, setting the cake down on the counter. Then they chance to sniff the air and bend down to look through the glass window of the oven. "What are you making?"

"Bear." another nervous laugh. "I didn't want it to go to waste...and there was so much of it."

"Smells great, doesn't it, Billy?" Tag nudges her partner with a soft swat of her tail. "I've never had it, but I'm sure it'll be good."

Pyrrha nods. "So what did you find?"

Tag vertically straightens her tail and uses it to prop herself up, half sitting and crossing her heavily tattooed arms. "For starters, none of my colleagues could account for the kind of behavior your secret admirer has been exhibiting, at least not prior to mating, otherwise it's just typical provision instincts for a male."

"Sounds like he's sure she'll have him." Billy chuckles, though they don't appear at all amused. "Or it could be like you said before, Tag, that he's trying to tempt her."

"Point is that there's no way to be sure why he's doing it, especially since you haven't picked up on any markings in your territory."

Pyrrha nods. She already doesn't like where this conversation is going.

"But it gets better." Tag smiles when she sees the uncertainty in the younger woman's eyes. "I touched base with my mated charges and they all said that the blue moon never stopped them from refusing an unfit suitor."

Pyrrha exhales, feeling a warm wash of relief. It's a weight off her shoulders. "Thank goodness...although,"

"What's wrong?"

"What if he _is_ fit?" she watches as Tag's head cocks to one side, her brows see-sawing over her eyes. Pyrrha feels heat rising into her face as she hugs herself a little tighter. "I've been thinking...and...I _really_ like the scent of him...what little I've been able to get."

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything." Billy says. "Sure, your body is telling you he is a physiological match, but it takes more than good genes to make a solid pairing."

"Billy's right."

"But how could I possibly know any more than what my nose tells me? Especially during a full moon?" because being able to control the change only offers her so much relief from the wild madness that takes over at night, and she thinks it's not nearly enough to discern a good companion from a poor one.

Tag doesn't have an answer, and it's obvious she laments that fact as she looks at her former charge with silent sympathy. "Would...do you want to stay with us until it passes? You know you're more than welcome,"

"I know." Pyrrha's chin drops to her chest, eyes closing as she takes a stabilizing breath. "Just...part of me wants to...but another part of me wants to chance meeting him. I mean...what if he's the one?"

"It's possible." Tag smiles a little. "It would be nice."

Pyrrha can neither confirm nor deny because her brain wants her to do both. She tries to say something more after a moment, but the timer on the oven goes off. Perhaps that's better, it'll give her more time to think. She does her best to ignore her anxiety and put the serious business on her mind's back burner as the three sit down to eat. Thankfully the bear turned out all right, good enough to stop most conversation, though Pyrrha didn't think she would make it again any time soon.

They avoid the issues a while longer when the meal is over, deciding to reminisce instead over cake and coffee until long after dark. The matter doesn't come up again until Tag and Billy are about to leave, Tag asking if Pyrrha will walk with them back to their car. Down in the lamp lit parking lot, Tag opens the passenger door but only bends over, reaching for something and then straightening again, now gripping a brown paper bag in one hand.

"I got these for you." she passes it forward, lounging against the open door once her former charge takes the bag. "If you decide to go ahead with it, they'll keep pups out of the picture, just be sure to follow the dosing instructions _to the letter_ , okay?"

Pyrrha doesn't question it, only nods unsteadily. She trusts Tag enough to take her words as they are.

The Otter Faunus is looking at her with sympathy again, unsure if there's anything else she can do. "And again, you can call us any time. We'll grab you up in a heartbeat."

"I know." another nod, this one more certain. "It's just...I can't decide. And I don't know if it's just me or...you know."

"Wolves don't know how to be uncertain." Billy says from the driver's seat. "They know what they know, just as the one that's a part of you knows."

"I guess it's just me then." Pyrrha laughs, though it sounds a little empty. "I don't want to be alone any more...but I'm scared."

"I know, dear, I know. It's a scary thing, change. Still, whatever happens, you've always got us." Tag tries one last time to reassure her, unsure if it works since Pyrrha's worried expression never changes. "Stay in touch, okay?"

"I will. And thank you."

"Anytime."

The two embrace in spite of the car door between them, Pyrrha hesitant to let go. Billy's content to offer a departing wave which the younger woman returns. She watches them until the vehicle is out of sight, taking a deep breath before turning on her heels to head back inside.

 

_(II)_

Pyrrha makes the trip to the cabin and is anxious for the entirety of the drive. It's an uncomfortable deja vu, and she hates how it attempts to encroach on the usual peace this isolated place gives her. Before heading inside she goes around the back and switches on the breaker, comforted by the electrical hum her already sensitive ears pick up. She then grabs her bags from the car and fumbles with a ring of keys as she walks up to the heavy wooden door.

Inside it smells of aged wood and sawdust and fireplace ashes, a collection of scents that reminds her of a few things she needs to do before she fully settles in for the night. Firewood needed to be carried in, some kindling made, and then she needed to take stock of the pantry before going in to town for anything else she needs. She shrugs to herself. It's going to be a long few days.

She'll leave the run to town for last, partly regretting the decision because she doesn't get to it until after sunset. Pyrrha's never been a fan of going out at night when she's here, for obvious reasons. By the time she reaches the main road, already she can see the almost bloated moon peaking over the trees, taunting her. She ignores the itch in her skin as she drives on, turning away from it.

She has only one stop to make, something she's both grateful for and discomforted over; Lotus Market is her favorite place, but it's also the source of her greatest anxiety as of late. Just putting her car in park in front of the building makes her heart flutter, and it drags the majority of her attention back to the worries over the mysterious male that's been ghosting through her territory. Timid and partly cowering in her seat, Pyrrha stares through the front windows, into the pale lights inside, and takes a deep breath to steady herself when she sees the young man at the deli counter at the far end of the store.

_Does he **ever** go home? ...Never mind, just get in there and get it done. You don't want a human partner anyway, remember?_

Pyrrha growls to herself, a little surprised that the sound came so easily, and then gets out of the car. She's chanting the reminder to herself in her head as she goes about her business, over and over, the little voice trying to overpower the fact that she does indeed like him. He was easily likeable from the moment they met some...maybe a year ago, long before she started receiving "gifts" from her secret admirer; he was easy on the eyes but delightfully average, soft spoken, polite, then again she could attribute some of that to his occupational obligations. Although that didn't hold much water as he invited her to dinner almost every time he saw her. Not on their first encounter, of course, but after that, any time she came by, he would chance an invitation that she would gently turn down. It's something she quietly regrets every time, because she really  _wants_ to like him and really wants to accept. But, again, for obvious reasons...

Oh, if only he weren't human.

Pyrrha will move about unseen, dropping items she plucks from the shelves into the plastic basket hanging from her arm, a small load she almost tosses into the air as she's startled by a high pitched exaltation of her name. Turning her head she sees the co-owner of the Lotus Market almost scurrying down the aisle towards her, smiling from ear to ear with her arms wide open in preparation for a hug. Pyrrha lets it happen, patient as the other woman squeezes her almost too tightly, and returns the enthusiastic greeting with a more restrained version. Looking over her shoulder Pyrrha spots him, catching his attention as well as a wave and a smile from him. Her gut sinks a little. 

"Hello again, Nora."

One more punctuated squeeze before the smaller woman lets go. "So what are you doing here so soon? Usually we don't see you but a month at a time."

"Well," she sighs with a slight roll of her eyes, "it's been...stressful these last couple weeks. I thought maybe getting away for a few days would help me sort things out. Sorry for getting in so late, I promise I won't take too long."

"Pfft, you're fine," Nora waves a dismissive hand. "It's always nice to see you, anyway. Looking for anything in particular?"

"No, just stocking up on the essentials."

"Okay." Nora sighs, almost like she doesn't quite believe her. "Be sure to stop by the deli, lots of the baked stuff is discounted -it'll just get thrown out if we don't sell it so help yourself if you can."

"Thanks."

"Let me know if you need anything else, okay?"

"Of course." And Pyrrha holds on to her meager smile through another hug and until Nora disappears around to the next isle. She chances to look in the other direction, see if he's still looking, and sure enough he is. Her heart flutters but she tries in vain to quiet it. At this point it would seem rude no to talk to him at least, so she casually makes her way towards the counter he keeps.

He has a smile for her, and she knows it's just for her because he can discern between it and the welcoming smirk he gives to the other customers. When it's for her it reaches his bright blue eyes, his cheeks rising and his lips revealing all of his near-perfect teeth -everyone else only gets half as much.

"Hey, Pyrrha." he greets her, easy as anything, one hand propped on the counter. Just beside him is the glass top of the meat case, and he sees her looking at it before she looks at him. "Nice to see you again. And so soon?"

"Yeah. I'm sure you overheard." she smirks timidly.

"I might have." his head lilts towards his shoulder. Then his expression becomes a little serious, sincere. "Is everything okay?"

Pyrrha nods. "Sometimes the city just feels claustrophobic, you know?"

"Can't say I do, but I can see why someone would feel that way. With that being said,"

_Oh boy, here it comes..._

"Is it safe to assume you don't have any plans while you're here? Because I'd really love to have you over for dinner. I get off in an hour,"

"Jaune," she sighs and smiles a little wider, hoping it might soften the blow, "I'm sorry."

He straightens, shuffling back a step or two, exhaling in apparent acceptance. He's still wearing something like a grin, though. "Don't apologize, just thought I'd ask. Though, I hope you're not saying no because you think I'm a creep or anything."

"Oh no," she readily shakes her head, her long crimson hair swishing against her back. "Not at all. Persistent, maybe, but not creepy. It's just," her lips tuck between her teeth as she searches for the words.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to, you're entitled to your feelings."

"I know, just...I feel like I should. I guess," she shakes her head again, slower this time. "It just isn't the right time. If that makes sense. I have a lot going on right now and,"

"It's okay." he assures her. "How about this; the invitation is always open, so you can accept whenever you want, alright? No obligation, and I stop harassing you."

"You're not  _harassing_ me." she actually giggles, feeling a touch of warmth in her cheeks.

"Good to know." he nods. "So can I get you anything or were you just stopping by to say hi?"

"Six of one," she admits. "Nora said there were some goodies you're trying to get rid of."

"Yeah, my mom brought in a tray of her apple turnovers, and wouldn't you know it I haven't been able to sell a single one."

" _No_ ," she gapes at him. "That's just wrong. There should be a law against it. How many?"

"Baker's dozen, and you're more than welcome to the lot."

"Perfect."

"They're on me."

Now she blushes fully, fumbling on an attempted refusal that he further squelches with his insistence. Before she can get a word out he has a white box full of turnovers on the counter and is pushing it towards her. Out of some strange, learned reflex she tries to push it back towards him, but he keeps his hand on it and they both laugh stupidly at each other as neither gains any ground. They're too wrapped up in each other to notice the head of the other shop owner peeking through the half-open office door over Jaune's shoulder. The raven haired man just shakes his head and smiles before returning to whatever he's doing.

" _Please_ ," Jaune asserts one final time with one last push of his hands. "Let me do this much, okay?"

Now her face is almost red enough to disappear into her hair, and she just nods and accepts, unable to look him in the eye now as she carefully places the box in her basket. "Thank you."  _Why do you make it so easy to say yes and so hard to say no?_

"Anything else?"

"N-no, I think," she clear her throat, "I think I've got what I need. Thanks again."

"Have a good night." He watches her unashamedly as she moves to the register and pays for her things, sighing longingly as she walks out the door. Her scent hangs in the air around him and he greedily takes it in until it dissipates.

"How about you close back here and head home, Jaune?"

He twists around to see Ren stepping through his office door. "Isn't it early still?"

"Pyrrha was the only customer we've had for the last couple of hours, much longer and I'll start losing money." the Mistrali man chuckles lightly. "Besides, you've still got work to do elsewhere."

Jaune nods slowly, eyes on the floor. His hand cups his neck and rubs. "Is it wrong for me to do it like this?"

"That's not up to me. As your Handler I've already given you what advice I can, the rest is between you and her."

"That's what scares me." and he laughs in spite of himself. "What if she rejects me?"

"Then we'll take it from there." Ren exhales as he rolls up his sleeves, revealing a mesh of intricate tattoos. "At least you know the two of you are compatible, so you've got a good chance. Although,"

Jaune lifts his head to attention, very dog like in his manner.

"The blue moon starts tomorrow, so you need to make it clear to her what you're up to  _tonight_ ."

"Yeah, I had already considered that."

"Don't just consider,  _do it_ ." he doesn't mean to be harsh on his charge, but Ren knows Jaune needs a firm push from time to time.

"Or else she'll chase you off anyway," Nora adds as she saunters up to the counter, propping her elbows on the glass and her chin on her palms. "I mean,  _I_ think you'll be fine, you two are obviously ga-ga for each other, but you can't be too careful."

"I know." Jaune blushes and takes a breath, exhaling in a way that puffs his cheeks.

"Just get going, Ren and I can close up." and she shoos him with a wave of her hand.

"Okay, okay. Thank you."

 

_(--)_

Pyrrha is meticulous about her preparations at night; with the groceries now put away and dinner on the stove, she goes about the house with obvious purpose in her steps. First of all she takes the pills Tag sent along with her, doubling the dose as per the instructions since she meant to change tonight. They're awful smelling horse pills but she chokes them down anyway, a small price to pay compared to what she was trying to prevent. From there she grabs a set of warm looking lounge clothes from her suitcase, leaving them folded as she takes them to the kindling box beside the fireplace and places them inside atop the splints of wood. The radiant heat from the hearth would keep them warm, and the other side of the hatch that led to the woodpile outside would give her easy access to clothing when she returns in the morning. A spare key to the only door is tucked into the pocket of the flannel shirt she stashes there.

She eats quickly, quietly as she listens to the battery-operated radio sitting on the table in front of her. It's mostly to hear the weather forecast for the next few days, not that it makes much difference to her -her pelt at night is more than enough to fend off all but blizzard conditions. Still, a part of her is grateful that it will be clear and not too cold.

_Mating in the rain doesn't sound at all pleasant, does it?_

Pyrrha mentally flinches, assuring herself that it isn't certain enough to worry about. She's confident that if she encounters this Alpha at all tonight, she'll likely chase him back to his own territory; her body might be ready, but that doesn't say much for her heart. She trusts her instincts will lead her in the right direction, never mind her fence riding.

When she's ready, she steps out onto the front porch, all the lights inside and outside of the cabin switched off so it looks like whoever lives here is asleep. She locks herself out, even puts the padlock in place in the upper corner, and then starts to quickly strip down while she listens for any car that might be rumbling along the mountain road a few yards away. The change comes quickly, easily compared to before she learned to control it. It's still painful to do, but now it's only akin to the worst sunburn imaginable instead of being run over by a semi truck. Lithe, human hands and feet are covered in thick, scarlet fur as the bones come undone and morph into a strange hybrid between what they had been and clawed, lupine paws. A tail sprouts and bristles just below the small of her back as more fur spreads across her tanned, freckled skin. That luscious long hair of hers finds its way into the grain of fur, forming around her neck and shoulders as a regal mane. Fangs gnash together as the bones in her face finish reforming, and keen ears move independently on the sides of her head.

Pyrrha takes a moment for her mind to settle and to catch her breath; the change is still dizzying at times. In time she moves on all fours down the trio of steps to the ground covered in pine needles and loose gravel, lifting her bright green eyes and nose to look around and sniff the air. She lingers on the moon, still not quite full though she can feel the pull of it, and her lips curl into an unconscious snarl.

She doesn't pick up on the elusive male, but moves on into the forest all the same, meaning to check where he's left his gifts and see what there is to find, if not him. She bounds off through the trees, moving between them like she's little more than the wind. Sprinting along trails only she knows she rounds the borders of her territory, heading further up the mountain towards the ridge at the top. From there she can see most of the valley and the twinkle of lingering streetlamps in the small town below. Pyrrha sniffs around, searching for even the smallest trace of him, but finds nothing. She moves on with a snort, continuing along the invisible line that separates her range from everything else.

Pyrrha nearly circumnavigates the entirety of her territory, literal miles of forest, before she suddenly stops at the edge of a ravine, her ears at full attention and her body stock still. Then one ear cocks in the direction of a brief rustling, the sound of leaf litter and dry pine needles followed by a punctuated growl. She's off in an instant, leaping down the slope of the ravine in hot pursuit.

 

He should have been quicker, Jaune's instincts scream it at him as his jaws close around the buck's throat and squeeze until it stills. He should have been quicker because he knew when she entered the forest and thus knew it was only a matter of time before she caught wind of him. He isn't going to run, so his brain changes gears just as the large Alpha female comes bursting through a cluster of laurel bushes towards him. Immediately he loosens his teeth and crouches as low to the ground as he can without lying down, bracing for whatever retaliation is in store for him.

Pyrrha lunges, teeth snapping around a heavy growl. The male kowtows back and she keeps pressing, eyes wide with ears back until she's looming over him. Up on her legs she puts her arms out wide, making herself look larger, and her claws are splayed out to match the intent of her fangs. The pale colored male crouches, tail tucked, and squalls a little though his fangs are bared and his deep blue eyes bulge like hers. He's submissive, but he also means to show his intention to stay his ground if necessary. Otherwise he would have just left at the first sight of her. She'll test him once more, advancing again with her jaws aiming for his throat; the male drops on his side and cries louder, limbs tucking inward to protect his now exposed belly.

Being this close gives Pyrrha the chance to absorb his scent, commit it to her primal memory so she never loses it again. Sure enough, as before with even the meager trace amounts on the carcasses he left, she  _likes_ it -it's something like sandalwood and her senses devour it. He would make an all but perfect match for her physiologically; from his immune system to his validity as breeding stock, and when put against her own viability it's a wonder they hadn't come in contact sooner. It took a moment, but she quickly realized why.

He is easily the smallest Alpha male she's ever seen. Not that she had seen a great many, but those she had were noticeably larger than this one.

While she no longer feels threatened -she knows she could dispatch him in a heartbeat if need be- she maintains the tight posture and setting of her ears as she eases back, keeping her eyes on him as she slinks towards the now dead deer lying on the ground. She needs to watch him, needs to see what he'll do as she enforces her privileges -it's her territory, and regardless of the fact that he had felled the deer, it is still  _her_ deer. Eyes on him she tears into the animal's hide, a chunk of flesh coming easily off the ribcage with her first bite.

They watch each other for several tense moments, the male eventually easing not too quickly back onto his paws. So far so good, he thinks, considering he isn't dead yet. Tail tucked and posture still low, he creeps closer, mindful of the female's bristling fur and steady, deep growling. When he gets too close for her liking she snaps at him and swipes with one clawed paw, reminding him of his place. He readily complies, now knowing for sure that he needs to simply wait his turn. He's hopeful, feeling like this is the first step in a good direction.

Pyrrha only takes enough to sate herself, grunting in a sort of satisfaction and permission as she trots away from the carcass to lie down several feet away. She'll continue watching him from here, lips flaring to show her teeth when his eyes linger on her for too long. When he finishes, her eyes track him as he inches away from the remains and pads over to her, his posture gradually lowering as he draws near. With his body almost flat to the ground he lowers his head and gives her forepaw a testing touch of his tongue. She growls, a gentle reminder, but ultimately allows him to continue; he means to show her proper respect by cleaning the blood from her fur. Jaune starts to whimper as his ministrations lead to her muzzle, making sure she's aware that he means no harm as he laps around her still flared lips. When she feels she is clean enough she snarls sharply, bringing him to heel. The male flops on his back again, this time right beside her, and tries to sneak in another sniff of her. Pyrrha's aware and permits it.

Jaune's primal brain throbs with desire; what he'd give to be able to tell her how much he loves her scent, how it whets his appetite just as much as any fresh kill.

Pyrrha stands up abruptly and starts to saunter away, not wary of his presence but seemingly resigned and accepting, and her relaxed temperament remains even as he follows somewhat timidly behind her. The two disappear down the ravine, reaching the end and coming out onto the lower roots of the ridge. The pair ascend to the top and start to run along the border as Pyrrha had done before, sprinting abreast of one another though Jaune keeps a half pace behind out of unspoken concession to her. They will circle the entirety of Pyrrha's territory like this, part of this being her showing him all the places he was supposed to stay away from, but also her testing to see if he could keep up, which he does surprisingly well.

As the sky begins to blue with impending dawn, Pyrrha is heading back to the cabin, a certain defensive anxiety creeping across her instincts when the male continues to tail her. When she feels he's much too close she quickly turns on him, hackles up and teeth bared, this time meaning real business. He needed to leave and she meant to tell him as much in no uncertain terms. At first he cowers like before, baring his stomach and lapping towards her mouth with his tongue, but then she nips at his neck. The male yelps and scrambles a few feet away, a few more when she lunges with a snap of teeth. One more charge and a bite of warning sends him on his way, and she watches until he disappears into the early morning mist that is forming across the valley. When she is certain he is gone, she moves on.

Pyrrha changes back before the sun comes up, fetching her clothes from the kindling box and fumbling with shaking hands for the keys. As quickly as she can she gets inside and locks the door again, her exhausted brain gnawing at her for a well deserved rest. She flops into bed, nodding off immediately, swallowed by the dark, isolated security of her den.

 

 

Author's Note: I keep telling myself when I start these stories that they'll only be a one shot, and every time so far I've played myself. So there will be a part two, and likely that's when the wild smut is going to happen. Hopefully it will only be two, because I'm already tired and I NEED to finish Embers. Thanks for the support, everyone, love you all!

 


	2. Chapter Two

The morning after is always hard. If not for the body wide exhaustion, there was still stiff muscles and aching bones to contend with; it's a struggle that never really goes away.

Sprawled face down on his bed, Jaune grumbles and groans through his attempts to get up. Eventually he lifts his naked, dirt streaked body from the mattress and settles on his knees, raking his scalp before lifting his head to take in his surroundings. When he feels more certain about the fact that he's home he goes in search of his clothes, then he realizes what time it is and searches a little faster. In his rush he almost falls flat on his face.

A moment later there's a soft knock at the bedroom door. Without his response it pulls open a little, just wide enough for Ren to poke his head in and witness his charge half hanging himself with a t-shirt. One sable brow tilts upward. "Need a hand?"

Jaune pauses after finally managing to push his head through the proper opening. "Oh, hey. Sorry I'm running late,"

"Don't worry about it, Nora's opening the store for me." Ren lets himself in, a tray full of food in his hands. He sits down on the bed. "I'm giving you the day off."

"What? Why? I'm fine,"

"I'm sure you are, but you don't _look_ fine."

Jaune cocks his head, brow knitted with confusion, and just stares at his Handler for a moment. He then reflexively touches his face, feeling hair that is certainly not part of his beard. It's more like  _fur_ , a thin, downy layer of it. It's on his ears too, and he realizes they don't feel quite round enough to pass as human. Out of curiosity he tries to wiggle them, like he could when he turns, and sure enough they twitch a little. "Oh." he exhales.

Ren just nods. "Drink this."

Jaune slumps onto the bed, looking defeated as he takes a breath and shrugs, and eyes the large glass of green something-or-other warily. He takes it all the same because Ren expects him to. He forces himself to empty the glass, trying his damnedest not to gag over how bitter and thick it is in his mouth. It hits his stomach like a brick, though the heaviness is quick to pass, allowing him to start eating. "But...isn't this supposed to be a good thing?"

"All it means is that you've been exposed to a compatible partner, it doesn't guarantee anything. And it's likely to be stronger tomorrow." He watches Jaune accept it with a lilt of his head. "But can I assume last night went well?"

Jaune smiles and readily nods, his mouth too full to speak immediately. "She didn't chase me off, for starters."

"Did she bite you at all?"

"Little nips, yeah, but just a couple." he chuckles to himself, realizing now with his more human brain that he might have been a bit too fresh with her in the beginning. "She ate the kill I brought her and let me groom her afterwards."

" _Oh_ ," Ren is visibly impressed, which says quite a lot considering his usual emotional neutrality. "Guess you made quite the impression then."

"I hope so. I feel pretty good about my chances." But not so good that he doesn't mentally pray about it over and over. Then he smiles to himself. "She's perfect, Ren." For the few hours he slept he had only dreamed of her, the wolf  _and_ the woman and how she smelled like a pine forest on a Summer evening.

Ren smiles gently, genuinely happy for his charge albeit reservedly. "Let's hope she feels the same about you."

"We'll see tonight."

"Likely." Ren smirks a little. "I'll leave a light on for you, but don't rush home."

 

_(--)_

Pyrrha has her coffee and a heated turnover on the porch, wrapped up in blankets and flannel with her brow knit tightly as she rocks in the chair. The dull wooden creak of the rocker helps stabilize her focus while the caffeine tries to do its work. She feels tired and hungover and cranky, and her nose has been full of traces of sandalwood since she walked outside. From time to time she looks down at the scroll perched on her thigh, weighing whether or not she should call Tag -more so weighing whether or not she should ask her Handler to come and lock her in the cellar or just talk about what happened last night and hope for the best. She knows Tag would do as she asked, just like she knows if she were to ask for advice, the best she would get is "follow your instincts."

The Alpha female grumbles and sips her coffee, chasing it with a bite of pastry. Gods above, these are  _so good_ .

_Follow your instincts._

All her instincts are telling her to follow that scent into the woods -follow the markers that male likely left behind, track it to its source, and indulge her primal needs; the notion is only bolstered by the dull throbbing she feels centered between her legs. But her human mind is still hesitant. Who wouldn't be, really? How could anyone possibly go readily into courtship with someone they don't know but hide and hair of?

_But he smelled so good._ Good gods he  _did_ . 

Though she knows that's mostly hormones and pheromones talking. Mostly.

_He respected you_ . 

True enough, but that could be too easily written off him being needy and just kissing up to get his way. His compliance to her didn't make him special, it made him smarter than the average male. And that, coupled with the fact that he intruded on her territory in the first place, is far from enough to convince Pyrrha that he is worth mating with.

Then again, in a few hours she might not have much of a choice. She's been exposed to him and it's having lingering effects; her body might have already decided for her.

_But do you really want to be alone?_

Her brow knits further, a sighing rumble rolling under her ribs as she takes another sip of coffee. She runs her tongue across her teeth, feeling the makings of more pronounced points on her canines. She  _is_ lonely and has been for some time. Pyrrha had friends growing up, but it wasn't like she could do normal kid stuff with them -with her peers being human she certainly didn't feel secure enough to do those things- so she always felt detached. Now that she thinks it over, they were never more than acquaintances at best. Even if that hadn't been the case, her parents were too diligent in keeping her secret to allow for close companionship as a child. Pyrrha doesn't resent them for it, but she wishes things could have been different.

If they had, maybe she wouldn't be so conflicted now, maybe finding a mate wouldn't seem so damn important.

_You don't have to mate with him just because he offers himself. If he's not a good choice, your instincts will know. Tolerating him in your territory doesn't mean you have to take him._

Also true, but would her desperation get in the way of her better judgment?

After a moment she scowls to herself, looking to gulp down the rest of her drink out of spite. She finishes the pastry in a similar fashion before all but stomping back inside with a huff. Pyrrha leaves her scroll on the small dining table, meaning for it to stay there; all of her questions would be answered after tonight anyway. If anything remained after the blue moon passes, Tag could deal with it.

She'll stay indoors for the remainder of the day, migrating from the kitchen to the bedroom several times in order to eat and rest until dark. As the sun draws further and further down towards the horizon, she begins to feel the moon's pull. It reminds her of before she could control the change, when she had no choice but to be what she is both inside and out. Her skin itches, is sore in some places, and blood throbs around her teeth and in her ears. The small hairs on her body bristle and even the slightest sound demands her rapt attention. The rising blue moon doesn't force the change on her, but it gives her every ounce of encouragement to do it on her own. That, coupled with the draw of the male's scent and her own feral desire, makes it all but impossible to ignore.

After making the usual preparations, the change takes hold and Pyrrha slinks off into the night.

Werewolves, at least the Alphas, don't make a habit of howling very often, especially if they're aware of significant human presence near their ranges. They may sound off to warn the pack of danger or announce the downfall of a rival pack leader, but it's rare that they make any sound at all in order to find each other. Mother nature gave them perfectly functional noses for that purpose, and Pyrrha uses hers to follow the painfully obvious trail of markers through the forest. However, she isn't consciously seeking out the male; she's going to dictate how tonight goes, meaning  _she_ will choose where they meet. Depending on the potency of his scent in certain areas, she'll know where he most frequently passes, and will place herself in the general vicinity for him to find. If he wants to mate her that badly, he shouldn't have a problem hunting for her.

 

Jaune's primal mind pulses with hope and hunger as he looks both ways before leaping across the main highway that leads into town. Mindful of headlights from traffic he keeps low once he reaches the other side, moving as quickly as possible even though his belly drags the ground. About fifty yards from it he straightens into a flat sprint, his ears tucking against the roar of the wind as he makes for the roots of the mountain ahead. Even in this darkness he easily finds his own trails, paths made over months of silent trespass. He ignores the sounds of other animals as he ventures deeper into the woods; they're not what he's after, and if this goes the way he wants, he and Pyrrha would be hunting together tonight.

Perhaps a mile or so along the trial he stops, all four paws skidding over packed earth as his ears stick straight up. Then he starts manically sniffing, first the ground and then the air, and then he balances on his legs against a tree trunk. He faintly recognizes it as a tree he had marked last night, and knows the furrows of his claws in the bark, but then he starts panting when he picks up his own scent commingled with a fresh, pheromone rich dose of Pyrrha's. She's been here recently, within the last few hours, and this is a  _very_ good sign of her being agreeable to his presence. If she had wanted him gone, he would have smelled something startlingly different. With renewed enthusiasm he starts back on the trail, his tail held high with excitement.

He finds her near the heart of her territory, spotting her on the other side of a clearing as he pushes through a cluster of Autumn-stripped berry bushes. She lounges atop a rise of earth and tree roots, regal as anything, and she looks back at him with a neutral yet unyielding gaze. Immediately Jaune quiets his body language, dials it down until all he projects is a gentle submission, and he waits. A moment passes and Pyrrha yawns, and he takes this as a sign that he can relax a little as well. Jaune approaches in small, easy spurts, stopping and dropping to the ground when she growls or bares her teeth at him. Then he waits another moment before trying again. In due time he reaches the foot of the small rise she rests upon, his head between his paws and his bright blue eyes raised to her. For a time she refuses to acknowledge him to remind him that he's only as relevant as she allows him to be and that these are, first and foremost, still  _her_ woods.

Jaune chances to creep a little closer when she finally dips her nose and looks at him evenly, her eyes now set with a glint of interest. When he's near enough he lifts his head, ears down, and tries to touch her paw with his tongue like last night. Though this time it isn't for grooming, but more so a wordless request for anything she might give him; attention, affection, permission -whatever he could get. Pyrrha allows him a little more, the male inching upward so he might lap at her muzzle, testing him with a curt snarl when he makes direct eye-contact. He only yields a little, whimpering in apology, before he tries again.

In time she allows him to come onto the rise with her, lets him lie down beside her in comfort but not in too close proximity. Jaune relishes in the progress, rumbling contentedly and remaining still when she finally starts to sniff at him. He's not a big fan of her sticking her nose directly into his ear, but holds fast in spite of it -if he tried to correct her she might lunge for him, and this close there would be no chance of saving himself from her teeth. So he lets Pyrrha scrutinize him as she sees fit until she finally snorts and lays her head down over her folded paws. He mimics her position, though his head rests a little closer to her so he can continue taking in her scent. Here beside her he's reminded of how small he is compared to the average male, but he also realizes that he and she are almost equal in size and it comforts his doubts a little. Maybe this could work out after all.

Jaune will follow her like she's got him on a string when Pyrrha suddenly rises to her feet and starts down the short slope and into the trees. He matches her pace which starts at a brisk trot and evolves into a steady dash between the silent timbers. Their coupled footfalls are barely more than a whisper in the still air, and whatever it is they are now hunting is likely none the wiser to their presence. Certainly not before it's too late to escape. Jaune took heed of all of her non-verbal cues, the two working in flawless tandem to track down and dispatch a deer much larger than the one he had brought down last night. This time she permits him to eat with her, though she makes sure he keeps to his side of the carcass while she keeps to hers. When they've eaten all they can, they start running again.

Pyrrha will keep testing him throughout the night, little trials that let her see his behavior and learn how he thinks; she needs to know just how compulsory his submission to her really is, or if it's just a smoke screen to draw her in. As they come into the wee hours, she's finding less and less reasons to be suspicious of him -it's obvious to her now that he can control the change and that his subservience is genuine. So she leads him to the edge of her range, near but not too near the cabin so she has an escape route come morning if she needs it, and this is where she chooses the spend the last of the darkness with him.

Jaune doesn't lie down with her, not right away, and instead paces the small circle of trees they found themselves surrounded by. He isn't anxious, he just doesn't want to rest yet. The moon is keeping him stimulated, he's happy to be here, happy to be with her and he needs to do something or he might burst. He tries to play with her, rolling on his back and mouthing at her neck only to receive a passive chuff. He nudges her when he passes in his pacing, sometimes chancing an affectionate lick to her face that she mostly accepts -a little show of teeth keeps him mindful of her tolerance. The only mistake he makes is when he comes up behind her, flanking her body with his limbs and scruffing her neck; though he only meant it in play, it was too much like mounting for the Alpha female to stand and she turns on him. Of course he immediately prostrates himself before her, neck and belly exposed as he squalls in apology.

If they were to mate, Pyrrha refused to do it like that. If it happened at all, it would happen after sunrise, when they were both more human. Her forest, her terms, and he would respect that or leave. He accepts without complaint, and eventually calms down enough to lay down a paw's reach away. For several minutes he whimpers pitifully, carefully begging for her full forgiveness, and for those several minutes she gives him a very human, side-eyed look. Still whining he bellies up and patiently waits. Pyrrha eventually shrugs, another very human thing, and lays down her head. Jaune will take what he can get and flop on his side, facing her. Carefully, oh so carefully, he inches one paw forward until it touches her side, exhaling in relief when she doesn't deny him. She just rumbles with a sort of resignation and closes her eyes, clearly meaning to sleep. It's an effort, but he does the same.

 

Pyrrha thinks it's the warmth of sunshine that draws her mind up out of slumber, rousing her other senses one at a time as it goes, but then it's shockingly apparent that it's actually the warmth of another body as the sleep leaves her consciousness; it's skin-to-skin contact, the smell of cool, damp earth and sandalwood in her nose, the stale taste of blood in her mouth, and a powerful, aching throb in her womb. She suddenly feels unstable and anxious, but it's brief, lasting only long enough to make her sit up and twist around to face her guest, finally getting a look at him. She's poised to run, ready for her instincts' command to do so at the sight of him, but it never manifests. Almost instantly she realizes that she knows him. Underneath the fur and fangs and twitching ears, she knows his face. It's Jaune, and that fact is the only thing that keeps her from running. For a long time she just stares, eyes darting from his sleeping face to centering on his parted lips and the teeth behind them, to his fuzzy chest and stomach -but no lower- and then back again. Several times yet it yields no explanation as to how she didn't know what he was before now. How could she not have known?

When she shifts to put her legs beneath her, Jaune's arm slips from its place around her waist and flops to the ground, making him stir at last. His chest rises and falls with a deep breath as he rolls flat on his back, and then his eyes open after a series of sluggish blinks. Big indigo irises focus sharply on her with a look full of intelligent awareness; he knows who she is and is so happy to see that she's still here, but he's suppressing his joy to remain in a submissive posture with his stomach exposed and neck bared. Jaune chances a smile though, and he almost wants to laugh at her visible surprise and little flinch away from him.

"Jaune," and it isn't so much a question as it is an accusation.

"Pyrrha." he responds calmly, smirking a little more when his reply only seems to confuse her more.

"You knew."

He nods slowly, just barely understanding. Alpha males don't have as much of their mind during the cycle as females do, but he's making an honest effort. "Explain later. Words...hard now."

She scowls and bares her teeth, growling at him as she moves to hover above him. His expression changes when they're eye-to-eye, the world shut out by the tumbling tresses of her scarlet hair around them. It changes from amusement to sheer awe.

"Beautiful." he exhales.

She blinks down at him, her wary grimace softening. Pyrrha eases away, perching on the balls of her feet and her knuckles before standing up when he starts to move towards her. Jaune rolls onto all fours, keeping his eyes on her while he can before he stands up as well, but he'll keep his distance for now, even though all he wants is to get in close and take her in his arms and smell her and...and...and...

Pyrrha's looking him up and down again, this time daring to peek past his navel and swallowing a brief thickness in her throat when she does. Gods have mercy, was he...excited, and the reality of his powerful erection makes her own hunger and arousal spike like an electric shock against her nerves. Her knees threaten to give out and her body shakes, making her thighs reflexively clench together.

Jaune tucks his chin, curious. "Okay?"

Perhaps she is, and she realizes that  _that_ is the most unsettling thing about all of this; she is having to consciously search for a reason not to stay, because the wolf is relaxed and comfortable and ready for what this male is offering, just as much as the human woman is. She isn't afraid or anxious or disapproving of Jaune, but she is still waiting for that to change even though something tells her it won't. Her instincts are telling her the truth of things, but it isn't the truth she had been expecting. The truth that comforts her fear instead of bolstering it.

Pyrrha looks at him still, though her focus is clearly on his face, her brow low over her eyes in contemplation. Now that she knows it's  _him_ ...gods,  _everything_ is different now, and it's in this moment she realizes that this is really what she has been wanting. All this time, it was him. She casts aside the indecision and self induced doubt and strides confidently towards him. She lets the Alpha in her shine as she takes what she wants, what she will now claim as her own. She stops in front of him with barely enough room to breathe between their naked bodies and looks him squarely in the eyes, his curiosity turning into surprised anticipation.

Jaune doesn't know how, but he manages to remain still as both of her hands come up to cup his furred cheeks, clawed fingers carding through the soft hair as she just holds him like this for a few seconds. Beneath her touch his skin comes alight with goosebumps and a shiver of heat that travels all along his body, making all the small hairs bristle as he tries to quiet a needy rumble. She pulls him in, touching his heated forehead to her own, both of them taking in the other's scent through their joint breath swirling together between them. They both bristle and growl at a low, comfortable register, and Jaune takes a little courage for himself to touch her, his large hands framing her waist. He feels her tense in his grip and wonders for a moment if he's overstepped his boundaries. Her lips flare with a breathy snarl in response, a gesture he doesn't read as threatening but accepting. All the while they look at each other, lust simmering where forest meets midnight sky.

Pyrrha pulls again and his neck bends, bringing his mouth to hers with enough care to keep their pronounced fangs from knocking together. She swallows the pleasured growl he answers with, taking it as a good sign that spurs her to boldness. Her tongue works passed his lips with no effort at all, dipping into his mouth and into the hot wash of pheromone rich saliva that tastes like spiced honey to her. To her surprise, he begins gently sucking on her tongue, unconsciously taking her in as well, just in a more direct manner. His palms smooth across the small of her back and grip her backside, his claws testing the plump flesh in a way that makes her perch on the balls of her feet and whimper. He pulls upward, like he's trying to lift her against him, and her arms circle his neck to anchor herself on the chance that he follows through. Instead he just closes the already tiny gap between them, making her all too aware of his erection now pressing against her belly, because Jaune needs her to know how badly he wants her, how much his body needs hers and how much it aches. Words are impossible now so this is the only way.

But she understands just fine, partly because she wants to tell him the same thing. When she breaks the kiss she takes but a second to catch her breath before lunging for his throat, her fangs flanking his windpipe and making him go suddenly still. It's not a warning, not a reminder of her rank over him, but a clear sign of her intention to take him as her own. A tight whimper scurries through him, just loud enough for Pyrrha to hear, and she takes that as his acceptance and loosens her hold. If she could have seen his face when her teeth were hovering over his jugular vein, she would have seen a most human sense of satisfaction.

Jaune kisses her again, this time so hungrily, and his hands scramble to grab her up, lifting her this time. Her legs go around him without a thought, and she breaks away to snarl at the hot, broad press of the head of his cock at her entrance. He adjusts, not liking the sound of that reaction, until the hard length of him tucks between them again. This time she growls, the sound velvety like a purr as the underside of him now presses against her swollen, tender clit. Much better. He holds her this way for a moment, watching her face as he guides her hips to grind slowly against him. Both of them have their jaws apart, fangs bared as they pant at the mounting sensation and sparking arousal. In time he doesn't have to encourage her at all, she does it all on her own, and he revels in watching her as his claws tighten against her ample bottom.

Pyrrha nuzzles his neck as her hips churn of their own accord, her mind blank with delicious friction. Part of her knows she won't climax like this, but she doesn't care, it feels too damn good to care. Right now all she needs is this, his touch, his closeness, the beating of his heart in time with her own and making them both pulse with life. And as much as she enjoys this, it's predictable that she is visibly displeased when he suddenly grabs her to keep her still. But her frustration is brief as she sees his heavy panting and the way his eyes are tightly shut. He's getting close and neither of them are ready for him to finish. Not by a long shot.

With great care Jaune negotiates himself onto his knees, keeping her secure against his body until he lowers her onto the bed of leaf litter and pine needles beneath them. He'll hold himself over her until she bares her teeth with a low growl, and he complies to what he feels is a demand for more. He kisses her deeply, taking another slow pull of her tongue into his mouth before sliding his lips to her chin, to her neck, and down to latch onto the firm bend of her collarbone. He nips and licks and kisses, bringing a bright red blemish to her golden skin that heals almost as quickly as it was made. Still, it was worth making to get those wonderfully human moans out of her.

Jaune continues a downward path, leaving pink blossoms in his wake until he pauses to leave a red one in the middle of her sternum. Then he deviates, one of his hands joining his mouth to offer attention to her taught nipples. Her fingers hook into his scalp and her body bows against his, not just in reaction but also to demand more. His toying fingers become more insistent and the draw of his mouth grows ravenous, coupled with the flitting movements of his tongue it's enough to make her squirm madly beneath him.

When he stops, Pyrrha's not of the mental clarity to complain. She's almost overwhelmed by the sharp pulsating of her body, too stimulated to even feel him moving lower, kissing passed her navel and shouldering her thighs apart. Then the world comes crashing back into focus when his tongue slips over her heated sex, sending biting shocks crackling through her core. Her claws tuck against his scalp again, and for a brief, fractured instant, she worries about hurting him. But then he growls, sounding content, and the vibration against her clit destroys any coherent thought she might have had.

Jaune loves the taste of her, the silken wetness against his tongue, and all he wants is to drown in it. He feeds on her, devours her little by little, sating the beast in him until she shakes and shivers and cries out his name with her hips bucking against his mouth. Now, when he carefully moves over her again, she doesn't ward him off. Pyrrha laces her arms around his neck and draws him down, needy for his kiss and accepting nothing less than his submission to her demand. She needs him so badly, too badly to stand letting him dictate the pace; she twists beneath him, forcing his weight aside while still keeping hold of him until she rolls them both over. Now she straddles his hips, palms perched on his chest as he looks up at her with a human's vulnerability.

Pyrrha growls through parted jaws as she grinds against his cock again, his firm heat sliding easily through her folds. Jaune's claws furrow into the soft earth under them instead of her soft flesh like his feral instincts are expecting -the last thing he wants is to hurt her, especially now, like this. So when she takes him in her hands and positions him at her entrance, all he can do is lie there and snarl as her tight core molds around him when she takes him in. " _Pyrrha_ ," he gasps helplessly. Gods above, she feels so good.

She has to take it slow, and even then there's a noticeable pinch of pain. She swallows it down, too far gone to let it stop her, and steadily continues until their hips settle together again. She watches as his chest heaves and his lips flare around his teeth, one arm draped across his eyes as if the morning light is suddenly too bright to stand. Pyrrha's panting too, trying to stabilize herself against the lingering burn of his impossibly deep penetration while her claws dig into his chest. When he looks at her again she can see a countless number of human things in his eyes; lust, desperation, more of that stricken awe from before, and admiration are the only ones she can readily discern. Everything else is just a primal blur of feelings that she can only acknowledge, not define. Not that it really matters at this point.

"Touch?" he pants. "Please. Touch."

She isn't sure if he asking for permission or begging her for something, so she decides its both, guiding his hands with her own until they rest on her hips. Her hands go back to his chest, letting her weight rest there as she leans over him in the beginnings if the first rise and fall of her hips. Jaune groans beneath her, his head jerking from one side to the other as he rides out the incredible sensation of moving inside of her. He doesn't appear to relax until the pair find a steady rhythm, his hips rising in congress with hers falling, and their eyes meet again. Something in the back of Pyrrha's mind is telling her this isn't going to last long, but again she doesn't much care; this is what they came together for, right? They wanted to mate and that's what they intend to do, everything else about wants and needs would have to wait.

Jaune grips her tightly, welts shaped like his fingertips forming on her thighs where he holds them. He watches her through a hot haze of animal hunger, loving the way her breasts bounce behind the thin veil of hair that's found its way over her shoulders. He loves the look of abandon and pleasure on her face, how her brow furrows when he hits a particular spot within her. Jaune shifts his hips, pulling her forward until her body lines with his and holding her still as he thrusts, finding an angle that has her all but screaming in ecstasy. She buries her face in his neck and he can feel the wetness of her mouth there. Maybe, just maybe, she's close, and when she climaxes he hopes that she'll bite him there. Prays she'll mark him as her mate. Just as he means to when he finally knots her.

Pyrrha relishes in how right this feels, how all the fear and doubt is long gone and all that she is left with is this and  _him_ . Blood pounds through her body, now seeming the centralize in her mouth, particularly around her canines as her climax nears. Part of her selfishly hopes she can reach hers before he does, not that everything will be ruined if she doesn't. All will be well, just she'll likely be needy again soon after this if that turns out to be the case. Something in her knows he wouldn't object to round two, but she just isn't of the mind to think that far ahead right now; she's much too focused on the telling clench of her womb.

Jaune loses himself in her, cinching his arms around her to keep her completely still as his hips drive against hers at a maddening pace. She whimpers against his neck, trying to form his name around mewls and sharp cries of pleasure. His own growls and groans are starting to stagger, rough edges jumping through his clenched jaws until his whole body tenses hard. He curls at the waist, keeping her secure against him as her fangs sink into his shoulder just like his pierce the skin at the base of her neck. Rich copper fills his mouth as he thrusts into the hilt, his knot swelling inside of her when his climax hits. For Pyrrha, there's a thrilling moment of panic, a streak of fear at the pinch of pain and wash of heavy warmth that follows after, but then it's gone again. All it leaves behind is the ecstatic satisfaction of a powerful orgasm.

Sweaty and panting, they hold on to one another until the desperate flight passes, and even after the knot recedes, Jaune doesn't go out of his way to disengage. He wants to be just like this, his body absorbing her chemistry in any way it can, just as her body is likely doing the same. Pyrrha feels something similar, like this is too natural to disturb, though it's hard to tell through the sudden veil of sleep that's trying to pull itself over her. His stroking her hair isn't helping matters either, so she tries to busy herself by lapping at the bloody wound she had given him. She rumbles with comfortable pleasure when he reciprocates.

They nod off without meaning to, but wake shortly after to find themselves in the same position they dozed off in. Pyrrha is the first to move, having to all but peel her sweaty self off of him. They smile at each other, likely thinking the same thing, and for a moment she just sits astride his hips and looks at him. There's something endearing about seeing him like this, bare and vulnerable, suddenly the most human she's ever seen him.

"Love Pyrrha." he says softly, his voice crackling and dry.

She smiles without meaning to, but doesn't answer. For now she'll just accept it, just until she knows for sure if love is what she's feeling for him right now. Then she carefully gets to her feet, feeling her legs threatening to give out under her weight at first, and offers her hand to him.

"Come on, let's go home."

"Home?"

She nods. "I'm hungry, and you will be too. And there's a bed."

"Bed nice." he nods as he manages to prop himself on his palms before taking her outstretched hand. When she pulls him up he follows the momentum, lining up against her and catching her about the waist again. He puts his nose to her neck and takes in her scent, finding a touch of his own mixed in with hers and rumbling happily at the change. "Mate." he sighs.

Again Pyrrha doesn't answer, but smiles as she keeps her hand on his and leads him out of the woods. 

The pair will disappear into the cabin, spending the last days of the blue moon there, together, all but locked up in Pyrrha's bedroom as they share one another time and again until it passes.

 

_(II)_

_"I hadn't heard from you in a while, so I wanted to check on you."_

"I'm fine, Tag, I promise. I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch." Pyrrha does her best to stifle a yawn, but holds the scroll away from her when she fails.

_"So how did it go?"_

This time Pyrrha leans away from the stove, away from the tea kettle to look back towards the table where Jaune sits, wrapped up in a blanket. She smiles to herself, wondering if a white lie is really necessary. "It was a long couple of nights. I'm still trying to sort it all out, so do you care if I tell you about it when I get back?"

_"Sure, sure. As long as you're okay I don't mind."_

"I'm all right." she reassures her, even going so far as to nod though Tag can't see it. "I'll probably be heading back to town some time tomorrow, so I'll call when I get home."

_"That'd be fine. You stay safe all right?"_

"I will. Goodbye." and Pyrrha smiles so smugly to herself when she hangs up, taking a moment to regard her satisfied expression in the reflection of the device. Then she sighs with a sort of contentment as she sets it aside on the counter.

"Your Handler?" Jaune asks from his seat.

Pyrrha hums in reply just before the kettle starts to whistle, quickly plucking it off the burner because she doesn't feel up to hearing that awful shriek at the moment. Jaune likely wouldn't appreciate it either; both of them are still so sensitive. She goes on to put tea bags and steaming water into a pair of mugs and brings them back to the table, setting one down in front of her guest before sitting in the other chair across from him. She turns towards him and casually crosses her legs because she's wearing a buttoned flannel shirt and nothing else; a shift in the right -or wrong- direction would ruin what little mystery she had left. But she smiles, able to see him trying not to look at her with the hunger that lingers in his much more human eyes.

For a spell they just sit together in the quiet, unconsciously taking in their mixed scent that now fills the cabin. It's strangely comforting, like it has always been here, always been this way, the idea of them having been anything other than together seems so distant and foreign now.

Pyrrha takes a sip of her tea, judging that it isn't ready yet, and then sighs. "How did you know?"

Jaune lifts his eyes and then shifts in his seat, pulling the blanket further across his lap. "I could smell you. But the first time I saw you was enough to sell me." he laughs a little.

"Then why couldn't I smell you?"

He tenses and rakes his scalp. "My mom...when I started turning she began treating my clothes with tinctures to hide my scent. I'm a runt and she didn't want other Alphas trying to hurt me because I'm so much smaller. Guess the practice just carried over when I moved in with Ren and Nora."

"Are they your Handlers?"

"Ren is." he nods.

"Safe to assume they know what I am too?" and she nods too when he does.

"I'm sorry I tricked you." now his head hangs a little, his posture diminishing and submissive.

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I  _wanted_ to. I really did, but I wanted to tell you in private...so I asked you to dinner."

_Oh_ . After a moment her expression quirks and then she chuckles to herself with a shake of her head. "Now I just feel silly."

"Don't. I could have done something more." but he neglects to elaborate; Nora once told him to write her a message on the inside of a box of bagels to the tune of "hey, I'm an Alpha too, wanna frick?" "I guess, on the other hand, I wanted you to get to know me first, too. If that makes sense. I knew the blue moon was coming and I was hoping we could at least be friends, so I kept asking even when I knew you'd say no."

Oddly enough she's still smiling as she thinks back, recalling every invitation he ever extended that she had always turned down. All this time he was trying to reach her, and all this time she completely overlooked it. "It wasn't just you."

"What do you mean?"

"I was being ridiculous in my own way." she shifts in her seat, taking another sip. "Even though you kind of tricked me,"

"No, I explicitly did," he wasn't going to let her sugar coat this, hormones be damned.

"Still...you meant well, right? And, to be honest, I'm not mad." she swallows, feeling a little nervous. "The only reason I kept saying no is because I thought you were human."

Shock stretches his features again, and he waits in hopes of an explanation.

"I didn't want a partner that I had to lie to and hide from my whole life, I wanted someone I could be myself with. I just didn't realize that someone was you." he had successfully tricked her keen senses, covering up his scent, but it couldn't cover up the chemistry that still passed between them when they were in close enough proximity. Her instincts had always been telling her that he was the one, she just couldn't understand because the information was only half there. "But I'm glad it was."

He's still surprised, his blue eyes a little wide, but now he couples it with a small smile. "So what do we do now?" he asks after shaking the butterflies from his thoughts. "Do we move in? Do we meet the parents...what?"

Pyrrha laughs again, making Jaune realize just how much her smile lights up a room. "I guess. I...I could move up here, the city kind of sucks anyway. I can live where I want and still work. I think I like it here more anyway." and all of that comes it complete pieces, like she's speaking the moment the thought hits her. "My parents are in Mistral."

"I've always wanted to visit Mistral, so that works out." and that must have been what she wanted to hear because she smiles a little wider, melting his heart. "My family is only a couple hours away, so maybe we could start there?"

Pyrrha nods, her cup at her lips. She swallows and answers, "But it doesn't have to be right now, does it?"

"Of course not. Whatever you want."

"Good...because I want to stay here a little longer." she's blushing and doesn't really know why. "With you."

"I'd like that too." and he finally drinks some of his tea. "But on one condition."

Pyrrha feels her heart threaten to drop into her stomach. She can't even begin to think what he could possibly want.

"You have to let me make you dinner."

They look at one another briefly, and then laugh.

 

 

Author's Note: Lazy. Indulgent. Fun. That's all I wanted out of this little project and I feel like that's exactly what I got. I did this solely because I felt like it, and because my brain needed another break from Embers. Now it's back to grind because Embers deserves to be finished. Thanks to everyone for the love and support, always appreciated.

 


End file.
